Coin selector



Dec. 22, 1942. c; GABRlELS'EN 2,305,860

COIN SELECTOR Original Filed July-25, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR Dec. 22, 1942. c. GABRIELSEN COIN SELECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed July 25, 1939 INVENTOR 7 (Z /$7M 6280/5280 BY I 2%; P P ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 22, 1942 COIN SELECTOR Christian Gabrielsen, Belleville, N. J., assignor to Rowe Manufacturing Co., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application July 25, 1939, Serial No 286,302. Divided and this application June 7, 1940, Serial No. 339,340

2 Claims. (Cl. 194-97) This invention relates to improvements in coin selectors or devices for detecting and rejecting spurious coins or checks.

The present application is a division of my application Serial No. 286,302, filed July 25, 1939, for Coin selector and which is directed to the means disclosed for stripping the coin selector of coins retained therein.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved means for rejecting and disposing of washers and the 1ike. Still another object of the invention is to provide improved means for separating the coins and checks from one another according to characteristics to be measured and for directing them into appropriate channels.

With the foregoing and other objects which will appear in the following description in mind, the invention consists in the combinations, arrangements and details of parts which will now first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a coin selector embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. l and showing the operation of part of the stripping mechanism;

Figs. 3 and 4 are edge elevations of the device of Fig. 1 still further illustrating the operation 1 and showing the washer handling mechanism;

and

Fig. 7 is a View similar to Fig. 6 but showing the parts in another position.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, the device is generally of the known type in which coin selecting means for coins of different denominations are positioned on the two sides of a central supporting plate I. This figure shows the dime selecting side of the device, it being understood that nickel selecting mechanism may occupy the opposite side (not shown) as in machines already known, or that the device may be employed for selecting checks, coins of other denominations or coins of other systems of coinage.

The various coin passages are formed by the plate I together with guides formed on or attached to it and by various plates 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and a magnet 7 all to be described later in more detail.

The upper portion of the machine comprises a scavenger for diverting or holding spurious coins and checks of certain types, best shown in Figs. 1 and. 5. A coin inserted at 8 rolls down an inclined chute between plate I and plate 2 upon curved guides or ribs 9. Plate 2 is formed with an opening l opposite which is a bulge II in plate I which deflects any coins inserted toward plate 2 so that undersized coins all pass through the opening- Ii falling into a hopper formed'by plate 3 and being directed thereby into an opening i2 communicating with a rejection chute (not shown) on the other side of plate I. Fastened to plate 2 is a magnet l3 for stopping iron or other strongly magnetic coins and a thickness gauge l4 adjustable by means of screws l for stopping coins of too great thickness. The pole pieces of magnet 13 are positioned in openings H5 in a strip I! attached to plate i andthus hold magnetic coins against, or immediately adjacent to, this strip. Plate 2, by meansof arms l8 formed thereon, is swingably mounted on a shaft l 9 supported at upon plate I and a corresponding plate (not shown) at the other side of 'thedevice is similarly journaled by. means of arms 18', both of these plates being held against plate I by a spring 2|. This construction, insofar as it provides for a scavenger with a pair of hinged plates at the top of the machine, is generally similar to the scavenger of Gilchrist Patent No. 1,947,767 and it will be understood that opening the plates about their pivot against spring 2! will release thick coins from thickness gauge 14 and magnetic coins from magnet l3 permitting these coins to drop into the hopper provided by plate 3 and so to pass through opening i2 for return to the customer. New and improved stripping mechanism, however, for so operating these plates as well as for stripping coins from other parts of the machine is provided and forms an important feature of the present invention.

As best shown in Fig. l, a bell crank lever 22 pivoted to plate I at 23 is provided, the lower end of this lever 24 extending below the device for operation by a plunger as usual and the lever being biased toward the position of Fig. 1 by a spring 25 attached to plate I at 26. Another arm 27 of bell crank 22 projects through a slot 28 in a link 29 slidably mounted on plate I by studs 30 passing through slots 3| in this link. Spring 25 through lever 22 will normally press link 29 upward against one of the studs 30 to the position of Figs. 1 and 4. As best shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the plate 2 is provided with a pro- .iection 32 having a beveled upper surface (the corresponding plate on the opposite side of the device having a similar projection 32). Link 29 is formed near its top with a narrow neck 33 and a pair of upward bevels 34 for engaging these projections 32 and 32, a movement of the link from the position of Fig. 4 to that of Fig. 3 serving to open plates 2 and strip the scavenger of any coins therein. The lower end of link 29 is bent outward and back to accommodate an ofiset shoulder 35 in the arm 21 of bell crank 22 and the extreme lowermost end of link 29 rests against an abutment or stop 36 formed on plate I. The arm 2'! is connected to link 29 by a spring 31 and bracket 38 so that rotation of the bell crank 22 will first tension spring 31, pressing link 29 against stop 36, and further rotation will bring the offset shoulder 35 upon arm 21 against slanting surface 39 of link 29, pushing this link outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, and permitting spring 91 to snap link 29 downward, thus quickly separating plates 2 from plate I through the bevels 34 and projections 32 and 32' previously described. In order to retain the link 29 against plate I in the position of rest, the upper part of the end of arm 21 is provided with a notch 49, the beveled side of this notch pressing inwardly against the upper edge of slot 28.

The quick action stripping mechanism of the present invention, just described, prevents defrauding of the machine by operating the stripping mechanism slowly with a view to permitting improper coins to pass the various devices provided to retain them in the machine without directing them into the rejection passages provided to receive them, so that they may enter the passages provided for proper coins. In the present invention the stripping mechanism already described, as well as other stripping devices described below, is operated with a definite speed sufiicient to insure rejection of spurious coins retained in the machine, and this speed of operation is substantially independent of the speed with which any plungers, or other mechanism which may be provided for manual operation of the stripping mechanism, may be operated by a purchaser. 6

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision of washer rejecting means which, instead of catching and holding washers in the machine until stripping means is operated by the pulling of a plunger provided for that purpose, direct a washer into a rejection chute and thus out of the coin selector. This is accomplished with certainty and simplicity and its advantage will be apparent in that such washers as may be inserted into the coin selector do not clog the machine against passage therethrough of proper coins. The washer rejection is accomplished in the following manner.

Coins passing the scavenger fall into a passage 4| between plate I and plate 4 (see Figs. 1 and 5), there encountering a washer balance pivotally mounted on a shaft 42 and biased upwardly by adjustable weights 43. This balance comprises a body portion 44 on one end of which is pivoted at 45' a member 45, having a toe 46 and a washer prong 41. The member 45 is normally biased by its own weight toward the position of Fig. 6 (solid lines in Fig. 5), being stopped in this position by projection 48 coming against a stop 49 upon member 44. A washer or coin with a hole through the center will pass down passage 4| until it encounters toe 46 and will thereupon rotate member 45 so that washer prong 41 enters the hole in the washer. The weight of a washer thus held on prong 41 will rotate member 44 about its pivot from the position of Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 7. As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, shaft 42 is slanted so that member 44 swings outward as well as downward, rotating in a plane diverging from that of passage 4 l. Member 45 when holding a washer is stopped from rotating beyond the desired limit by stop 49 engaging a projection 50, s that in the position of Fig. 7 a washer held upon prong 41 will be discharged from the washer balance and will fall downwardly against the curved surface 5| (Fig. 1) formed in plate 4 and thus be directed through opening 52 (Fig. 5) in plate I, passing into a rejection chute (not shown) at the other side of plate I. Coins other than washers will engage the toe 46 in their course down passage 4| and will rotate the washer balance 44 to a point where toe 46 is in line with the wall of passage 4| eing there discharged and falling upon an anvil 53. Lead coins or other coins of insufficient elasticity will roll off anvil 53 or bounce slightly oil this anvil falling to the left of separating point 54 and being discharged through opening 52 previously referred to. Coins of somewhat greater but insufficient elasticity or coins of insufficient weight will strike a stop 55 pivoted to plate I at 56 and swingable between pins 51 and 58, and will be turned back by stop 55, passing also to the left of separating point 54 and being rejected through opening 52. A coin of sufficient elasticity and weight will swing the stop 55 about its pivot and thus pass to the right of separating point 54 into passage 59 for further testing. As shown in Fig. 5, where it is not desired in a particular locality or under special circumstances to use the bounce test provided by anvil 53, a curve guide 53 may be inserted above the anvil to direct coins to stop 55, as described.

The upper part of passage 59 is formed by separating point 54 on the one side and a member 60 on the other, provided with a jog 6|. The lower part of passage 59 is formed by a member 62 pivoted to plate I at 63 and having an oversized aperture 64 surrounding a pin 65 attached to plate I and being in consequence free. to vibrate or oscillate slightly upon being struck by a coin. The jog 6| and member 62 accordingly serve to slow down the coin going through passage 59 and to dampen oscillation of this coin. Jog 6| and member 62 define a reverse bend in the passage 59 communicating with a passage 66 formed by the lower portion of guide 60 and a second guide 61. The walls of passage 69 are formed by plate I and the face of magnet 68 (Fig. 1) the position of whose pole pieces is indicated in phantom (Fig. 5) by the numerals 69, it being understood that the corresponding magn net (not shown) for the other side of plate I may advantageously be positioned directly op posite so as to increase the strength of the magnetic field through which passage 66 directs the coins.

In accordance with well understood principles,

5 a coin in its course through passage 66 will have depending upon its conductivity in conjunction with its weight. Highly conductive coins such as those made of copper, silver and aluminum tend to be slowed down considerably, while coins made of materials of higher resistance will be slowed down to a less extent. Also heavier coins will be slowed down less than lighter ones, due to greater momentum. The magnetic field thus measures the conjunctive effect of the weight and conductivity of the coin. Such coins as are not suificiently impeded by the magnetic field will pass therefrom with a relatively high trajectory going to the right of separating point III attached to plate and passing into chute 'II for rejection. Also, coins which are slowed too much in passing through the magnetic field will strike separating point I2 and bounce over point I8, thus passing into passage II for rejection.

All coins of approximately proper conductivity and weight will pass from the magnetic field in a trajectory directed approximately toward the separating point III, which is attached to plate 5 through a member I3 adjustably mounted on plate 5 by means of a screw 13'. Separating point I8 comprises a coin engaging portion disposed at right angles to plate 5 and an attaching portion lying along member I3, being pivotally carried thereon by pivot I4 and maintained in the position of Fig. 1 by a pin I5 upon member I3 passing through a loosely fitting aperture in the attaching portion of separating point I8. An unusually fine and reliable selection is provided by this loose mounting of point 18 previously referred to. By reason of the loose mounting any tendency of a coin to rebound elastically from the separating point I0 is eliminated and the selection between coins in slightly different trajectories is not controlled by their direction of rebound but simply by whether they strike the separating point I8 with their centers of gravity to one side or the other. Thus improper coins will strike the separating point I8 with their centers of gravity to the right of this point (Fig. 1) and proper coins will strike the point with their centers of gravity to the left. As will be readily appreciated, the direction of rebound of a coin from any surface and more particularly from an edge such as a separating point depends not only upon its trajectory but also upon the shape of that portion of its circumference which hits the surface. Thus a coin in a given trajectory may rebound to the right or the left of a rigidly mounted separating point in accordance with the presence or absence of milling, nicks or other irregularities on its circumference at the point where it hits the separating point. In thepresent construction this accidental and undesirable feature is substantially eliminated as the coin will fall to the left or right of a loosely mounted separating point substantially without regard to the condition of its circumference at the point of contact.

Such coins as fall to the left of point I8 are received in a passage I6, supported by an inclined angle 11 formed on plate 5 and a portion of plate I, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5.

Coins passing the previously-mentioned test and hence entering passage I6, roll down this passage into a balance 88 pivoted upon plate I at 8| and counter-balanced by adjustable weights 82 to the position of Fig. 5, being stopped in this position by its lower surface against the boss 83. The balance comprises a coin receiving portion 84 and a coin stopping portion 85. A coin of sufficient weight upon entering the balance will rest upon the coin holding portion 84 overbalancing the counter-balance 82 and rotating the balance downwardly, being discharged thereby into passage 86. A win of insufficient weight will fail to overbalance counter-weight 82 and will remain in the machine. In such position, however, the stopping portion 85 of balance 88 will stop passage I6 so that a coin therein rests upon angle 11 of plate 5 previously referred to. Coin-s of sufiicient weight to tilt balance 88 and be discharged therefrom fall into passage 88 striking the lower point 81 of a member 88 pivoted to plate I at 89 and rotating this member so as to pass between it and boss 98 defining the lower part of passage 88. In case a machine to which the coin selector of the invention may be applied already has sufiicient coins in its coin control mechanism so that a coin in the lower portion of passage 86 cannot proceed further, it will hold the member 88 in this rotated position bringing the upper point 9| of member 88 into position to block passage 88 and directing any coins entering this passage over the boss 98 and thus into passage 'II for rejection and return.

As will be recalled, certain coins may be retained by balance 88or by plate 5 and means is provided for stripping such coins from the machine. As shown in Figs. 1 and 5, link 29 carries 7 a fork 92 and this fork accommodates the end 93 of a bell crank 94 pivoted to plate I at 95, and the other end 96 of which enters a slot 91 in the balance 88. Slot 91 comprises a circular arc of sufficient length to accommodate the end 95 of the bell crank during the required movements of balance and continues with a straight portion to accommodate this part during stripping. Downward movement of link 29 through the parts described will rotate bell crank 94, straightening balance 88 into the required position through slot 91 and ejecting any coin which may be therein. Due to the construction of the actuating mechanism for link 29, previously described, this motion will be sudden and of sumcient force to propel such a coin into passage II for rejection and return. Plate 5 is journaled on a shaft 98 mounted in projections from plate I at 99 and is biased toward plate I by a spring I88. A portion I8I of bell crank 94 is positioned under an outwardly flared end I82 of plate 5 and stripping motion of this bell crank thus cams or wedges plate 5 outwardly, freeing any coins which may be within it and also opening up an entirely clear passage for coins from the balance 88 into passage II. Both passage 86 and associated structure as well as passage II, previously referred to, are covered by the stationary plate 8, the upper part of which is flared outwardly as at I83 to catch coins directed into the latter passage.

The stripping mechanism provided is of great certainty, power and positiveness in action and may readily be used for both sides of the coin selector either by attaching forks similar to the fork 92 to the link 29 upon the other side of the machine, or by providing other forms of connection. Such connections may take the form of a link such as the link I84 (Fig. 1) connected to an arm of bell crank 22 as at I and formed with a rack I86 cooperating with a gear I01 (Figs. 1 and 5) mounted upon a shaft I88 and extending through plate I for operating similar stripping mechanism on the other side of the machine.

To prevent either failure to pass good coins or fraudulent operation through tipping of the machine, a very simple and effective device is provided, comprising a member I89 pivotally mounted on plate I at II8 (Fig. 5) just below the scavenger and formed with a pair of arms I I I having inwardly facing sockets H2. The stop 55 previously referred to may be formed with a T-shaped head H3. Tilting of the machine will then cause the member I09 to swing about its pivot H bringing one of the sockets H2 into a position where it surrounds one end of the T-shaped head of stop 55 thus preventing the stop 55 from swinging and directing all coins which pass the scavenger into rejection chute 52. In machines not apt to be tilted or where a machine must be used in locations where leveling is impractical, the member 109 may be rendered inoperative simply by inserting a screw H4 through plate 4 (dotted lines, Fig. 5).

What is claimed is:

1. In a coin selector, and in combination, a passage for solid coins, a substantially coplanar passage for Washers branching therefrom, and a washer rejector comprising a member pivoted for rotation in a plane diverging downwardly from the plane of said passages, a projection upon said member extending into said passage and adapted for engagement by the edge of a coin passing down said first passage to rotate said member to move said projection from said passage, and a washer-engaging prong movable by said projection to engage in the opening of a washer and by means of the weight of a washer so engaged to rotate said member to bring said prong and said washer into said second passage and to further rotate said member to bring said prong outside the plane thereof and leave said washer therein.

2. In a coin selector, and in combination, a passage for solid coins and a passage for washers branching therefrom, and a washer rejector pivot'ally mounted for rotation in a plane disposed at an angle to said passage, a projection upon said rejector extending into said passage for solid coins, adapted to engage a washer passing therethrough and to support the weight of said washer upon said rejector and thereby to rotate said rejector to carry said washer into the said passage for washers.

CHRISTIAN GABRIELSEN. 

